I saw a coffee stand that served a good brand of coffee and I bought a naked espresso just to compare to what I have been doing at home... It tasted bad. No big shock because I don't enjoy naked espresso. Opened the lid and stared. NO crema. Not even a spec of crema, not a hint, not a cling, not a wisp. Looked like what I made with my steam toy that started this journey. I was stunned.

I went on down the road a direction I don't often go and saw another coffee stand selling the same good brand of coffee. So again I buy a naked espresso and this time I look first..... no crema. NADA. It tasted worse than the first. I put them in milk when I got home and I could not even cover up how bad they were and tossed the whole mess out.

...... I put them in milk when I got home and I could not even cover up how bad they were and tossed the whole mess out.

Now, a real snob would have:- not gotten espresso in a take away cup- would have examined the contents and smelled it before sipping- would have handed it back without tasting when there was no crema present- once tasted and found it bad would have at least discussed it with the barista (PBTC, actually) and possibly complained, but definitely would have tossed it in the trash- never have tried to make bad espresso drinkable by adding it to milk (a waste of milk).

Now, a real snob would have:- not gotten espresso in a take away cup- would have examined the contents and smelled it before sipping- would have handed it back without tasting when there was no crema present- once tasted and found it bad would have at least discussed it with the barista (PBTC, actually) and possibly complained, but definitely would have tossed it in the trash- never have tried to make bad espresso drinkable by adding it to milk (a waste of milk).

I do not consider myself a snob, I will drink almost anything coffee if I have a flask of whiskey with me, if not I put cream and sugar in it and call it an energy drink. I would never buy from a stand without said flask though, not even cream and sugar can usually help that out. I do carry a camp stove, fresh beans, and a moka pot for any road trip over 3hrs.

Now that I am looking at mini vans I am seeing how easy it would be to have a converter and maybe a CC1 for the rear. I guess I would have my own coffee cart, still don't consider myself a snob.

That is funny FRCN, but last year I would not have known what the brand named beans were much less stopped to taste the brand name beans...and I would not have tossed it out after tasting. I agree I should not have wasted the milk, I thought I couldn't tell how bad it was with milk covering it, but I could. Because of that, I think I am farther down the road than you give me credit for...

It is a matter of drawing lines in the sand and then crossing over, looking back, and saying to your spouse, "Wow. That line is so far back there I can't even see it from here." And spouse replies, "Ya. No kidding."

I am not sure my journey wasn't more of a jump off a cliff then a walk down the beach, but I certainly lost sight of the line about five years ago. My grinder and espresso machine's street price total is more than I spent on the purchase of my car, and I think I spent about three times more in green beans than on auto maintenance last year. But then again, I have more money invested in harmonicas than most folks spend on a grinder. I just spent $130 just to have five of my harps professionally adjusted! :-O

Arlo Guthrie (among others) said words to the effect of, "We all say, 'you think you have it bad. Just look at THAT guy.' But what about the last guy? He can't find a street to lay in for a truck to run him over." So, the advice is, just don't be the last guy.

In the cigar world we call it going down the slope, it starts with your first Cuban cigar and ends up with you bidding at Christie's Auction for boxes of 20-40 year old aged cigars from a collection where you know the original purchase date and who cared for the cigars the entire time.

This year I picked up some Don Pachi Gesha green beans that sold for I believe sohightail highest amount per pond for coffee, luckily a group buy was organized at HB and we got it direct from the farm for half the auction price, still I don't consider myself a snob.

Then there is cars for me as well, take a 5th gen camaro, break in the engine, then start modding immidiately while you kiss the power train warranty away. Well at least my electrical warranty is still intact.

You did learn an important lesson, no? The best beans in inept hands can easily make a poor beverage. So many of us, after numerous disappointments, will only frequent coffee shops of known quality. It's not worth the punishment on the palate to force stuff like that down the gullet. Memories linger, good and bad.

A real espresso snob would know that the chances of getting a drinkable espresso from any retail outlet is close to zip and if the area that he lived in had any that brewed a good cup, he’d know the first names of all of its baristas and the owner(s) and they all greet him by his first name. He’d also be prone to spending hours at that establishment, chatting with everyone and comparing notes regarding everything related to brewing an outstanding espresso. He might even go so far to have his own cup sitting behind the baristas and as soon as he hit the door, they’d start making his espresso.

Now if said snob had an experience like the one you had, he’d know that they really didn’t care what they served, which unfortunately is most often the case, and he’d simply hit the door without saying anything.

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